Finding Home Again
by Na'vi knower
Summary: Ami is different. She is one of the people, but her name makes her stand out. When her beloved home is destroyed, she is lost in the forest-abandoned. During the battle between the humans and the Na'vi, she comes across an injured Tsu'tey and heals him. She goes on an adventure to find herself with him at her side, but is all she needs really that far away?
1. Chapter 1-Lost

Home is just a word. Yet, this word is more important than most. Home is where you go when you have no where else. But what do you do when your home is a pile of ash, forgotten?

 _Where am I? Shouldn't I be dead? The last thing I remember is Home Tree falling. Is this to be my grave?_ These thoughts float in a mind close to consciousness. Eyes as dewy green as the fragile leaves of Home Tree open to a world of ashy gray. Slowly awakening, this female Na'vi tries to sit up as the beads in her hair clack against one another. Her body protesting, she falls into her former position on her back feeling heavy vertigo. However, not knowing where the others are, she tries once more and achieves this small victory. Looking around-her ears flickering- she sees a rain of ash falling gently on the surviving plants. The air feels heavy and still, the silence deafening.

"Hello?" She calls out. Emptiness and echoes surround her. After waiting for a reply for minutes on end, she decides that anyone that was still nearby has gone to Eywa. She slowly stands up with cat-like grace, conscious of the consequences of standing up to fast. After a few moments, she delicately moves around the ashy forest looking for signs of life and predators. Looking up, there is a space of beautiful sky where she once saw her majestic Home Tree. Silent tears fall down her face until she angrily wipes them away, her tail thrashing the air behind her. An ikran cry pulls her attention back to the ash-blanketed forest around her. Longing filled her. She never got an ikran of her own. She was still training when Jake Sully attempted for his own ikran. Memories cloud her thoughts until the forest in front of her faded away.

 _"Ami, Ami, Ami. Why do you keep training when it's obvious you'll fail? You'll never gain your own ikran!" voices of her tribe members taunt her until she runs, crying, back into Home Tree to patch the wound to her pride. She then goes and spends time with the healers in their alcoves. They taught her about the different herbs and their uses for healing or poison. Sometimes Mo'at would be there and she would comfort Ami._

 _"Every member in my tribe has a place Ami," Mo'at would say. "Not everyone can be a hunter or ikran rider. Be proud of who you are, and what you can do for the people. Your parents named you Ami, a sky-people name. Do not shun what your parents have given you. I know that one day, you will be very important to the people. Eywa has shown me this. Now you must take this knowledge that I have given to you and prove yourself to Eywa, not the people." She toke her words to heart, yet still tried desperately to gain her own ikran. Then one day, the sky-people came. They shot smoke and fire at the people, and felled Home Tree._

Ami shook herself out of her thoughts. Now was not the time to be lost in memory. A roar startles her by how close it is. _I must find shelter,_ she thought. Promising to go looking for signs of the people tomorrow, she begins looking at the soft ground for animal tracks. Observing the different trails of animals, she finds an uninhabited tree and gracefully scales the trunk to a nook of branches. As her eyes start fluttering with exhaustion, she gives one last glance at the ground beneath her feet. Ami gives a heartfelt prayer to Eywa for the protection of the people and drifts off.

 **Clueless Author here! thanks for sticking with me if your reading this! I apologize for the weird updates as well as the frequent mistakes/ bad writing. This is my first story on , so I'm still learning. I want to specially thank FightfortheUsers for commenting about my story and giving me good pointers! I hope you all feel free to comment, but please don't bash my story. I'll give recognition and answers to comments in author's notes from here on out! I hope that's alright with everyone!**


	2. Chapter 2-Searching

Chapter 2-Searching

Ami awoke the next day to the calls of small creatures and the rustling of predators on the forest floor below. She dragged her sleepy eyes open and looked through the veil of swaying branches holding their leaves aloft at the bright morning sky. Her eyes fill with tears, for so many of her tribe would never get to see this beautiful sight again. Sending up a prayer to Eywa, Ami carefully leaped down from the tree while keeping her senses on the look for anything coming her way. Once on the ground, she started to head back to the fallen Home Tree. If I can get back to Home Tree, I may be able to find tracks that will lead me to the people. Even if I don't, there should be supplies that I can use she thought. Steeling her resolve, Ami strode towards her destroyed home with her tail thrashing behind her. Willing it still, she took off faster, and her long strides ate up ground as the air swirled around her braided locks. Five minutes passed this way; the only sound she made was the pounding of her feet into the soft soil. She stopped just short of a new clearing; it was her home. Looking up, Ami imagined the branches tall and sturdy as always. The bright sky and blazing sun mocked her and the angry tears running down her face. Hesitantly taking steps into the clearing, ash was kicked up by her feet and flew into her eyes and mouth. It mixed with her tears making her delicate blue face disappear into a gray mask of filth. Wiping her eyes, Ami strode through the clearing as she looked for anything left behind. She found a small pond right away and washed her face,neck, and arms of the ash. Once finished with her quick wash, she continues her perusal of the clearing. Few things were left undamaged. She saw remnants of bows, jewelry, and cooking pots. A whine of a pa'li draws her attention. Hidden among the branches, Ami spies a young pa'li nudging its mother. The adult pa'li had labored breath and a large branch stuck in her side. She was dying. Oh Eywa, why must there be so much destruction and death? So many creatures are suffering because of the sky people! Ami draws her hunting knife and strides towards the two pa'li. Once the baby notices her approach, it lets off a high-pitched scream of fear. She hushed it and told it soothing words in a hushed voice she hears the mothers use. Thankfully, it calms the young pa'li and allows her to go to the mother's side. The pa'li's labored breathes had grown weaker. She stroked the head and neck of the mother to give her comfort. There wasn't much time left. Ami slipped her knife out of its sheath. Murmuring prayers to Eywa, she strokes the mother one last time and ends her pain with one quick thrust. The poor baby shoves her to the side and nudges the now dead pa'li. With a whine the baby pa'li runs off into the woods where some predator would catch it. Such was the harsh cycle of life on Pandora. At least the mother didn't have to suffer anymore. Ami cleaned off her knife and resumed her search. A screech of a nearby ikran caught her off guard. An ikran? Here? All of her senses were on high alert. She was prey to unbonded ikran; if there was an unbonded ikran nearby, she could be killed. Fighting to keep her breathe even, Ami scanned the forest and sky around her.

After a few minutes of sensing nothing, Ami continued on her way. There wasn't anything left from the fire to use anyway. Some places looked picked through for anything useful. That could mean the people had already found anything she could have used. She looked closely for any tracks that may lead from Home Tree to where the people had gone, but she couldn't find anything. The ground was destroyed by Home Tree falling, and most tracks she did find were trampled over one another. She couldn't find any left that may have been made by the people. She hissed in anger and disappointment. How was she to find the people now? Emotionally exhausted, Ami decided to retire for the day, and try again tomorrow. She had plenty to do. She needed to find a semi-permanent shelter, make weapons, and gather food sooner rather than later. It may be a while until she could find the people again, and she didn't want to take the chance of dying before she finds them.


	3. Chapter 3-Building A New Life

Chapter 3-Building a New Life

A few days had slipped by since she had visited the ruins of Home Tree. She had made a sort of nest in an alcove of a branch not far from the clearing. It wasn't much, but it would suffice for a few weeks; she just hoped she would find the people before then. The Omaticaya clan was a strong clan who had taught her well. Ami knew that she would survive in the forest, but could she survive the crippling loneliness? Back at Home Tree, she had few people her age that would talk to her. Most of those only teased her, but she always had the adults. The wise healers of the clan would always take a minute to ask about her day, and Tsahik gave her a kind word when Ami saw her. They were her friends, the healers, and she sniffled when she realized that many of them may have died since the healing alcoves where in the innermost parts of the tree. Now was not the time for mourning though. That would come later when she knew who had perished. She still had to find where the people had gone. The Omaticaya clan was a strong clan, there had to be many that survived that tragic day. She just had to discover where they went to find shelter. Until then, she would survive herself. The people had taught her well, but food was scarce. All the prey in the area had fled when Home Tree fell. What made it even worse was the fact that many of the abundant fruits would have perished between the fire and ash that ravaged the area. Ami had to go miles before she reached a tree to stay in that was close, but not covered in ash or destroyed. Life would be hard, but Ami couldn't just abandon Home Tree. That was her only clue to finding the people again.

* * *

Life went on. A day passed. Then three. Before she knew it, two weeks had flown by with no luck in finding her clan. Once, when she was scavenging for fruit, she thought that she had heard Na'vi on pa'li, but if they were there they had gone by the time she investigated. As more days passed, Ami noticed herself growing thinner. With no steady supply of food from the clan's hunters and gatherers, she had to fight for every bite of food she got. It was exhausting work that gave little result. She refused to hunt for meat because her instructor has said she wasn't ready to attempt a clean kill. She would not disgrace her teacher even if it meant her death. She was okay with dying. Her death would give nutrients to the plants and animals that survived. She would live on in Eywa. However, that did not mean that she wanted to die. She loved her life, and would give up much for a hug, smile, or kind word from one of the clan's healers. They taught her all she knew about plants, and now that she was using this to survive, she was very thankful for the knowledge that they gave her. _Eywa provides_ , they would always tell her. Though she was slowly starving to death, her life had been prolonged with the healers wisdom. Ami wasn't dead yet. She still had a chance of finding the people or at least a better source of food for some more time. Another week passed by, but this one went agonizingly slow. She couldn't sleep, her stomach kept her awake. During the day she couldn't focus. Ami knew that she needed to move away from Home Tree, but was reluctant to leave the only home she and her parents had known. As another day dragged by with little to show for it, Ami made a hard decision. That evening, before the sun had set, she packed up her supplies and hunting knife. The place she had been sleeping was now bare of any trace of her existence. That was the Na'vi way. Only on Home Tree could you leave your mark on the world. There was where you were buried, the roots Eywa's arms that cradle you, and there was where your few belongings were buried or given away. Ami walked as far as she could without taking a break. Miles passed under her feet. Once it started to get too dark, she stopped to rest and wait for the forest to light up. Once the bio-luminescent plants and animals lit up the darkness, Ami continued with more caution. Her steps were more deliberate than before, and her senses were on the lookout for anything coming her way. Traveling while so alert took a lot longer than before. Soon, Ami grew too tired to continue. She scaled a tree and found the closest nook that would hold her wait. She curled up and prayed for a good night's rest. After her exhausting day, she found no trouble falling asleep. The next morning, Ami woke up feeling more refreshed than she had in a while. The sense of adventure that she had kept locked up tight had escaped. She was excited for what each day may bring. Her optimistic mood faltered a little as her stomach growled. Food was her priority. Picking her way through the forest, she scanned everywhere for things she could eat. Within a few minutes she had found some fruit. The burning of Home Tree had not affected this part of the forest. Food and animals were aplenty. This meant that on her journey she wouldn't starve, but she had to be more careful. The predators had food, but always hungered for more. They would be abundant in this part of the forest. She grabbed more food than she knew she could eat. Fruit could be dried and saved in case she came across another part of the forest that was damaged. She would be thankful for her thoughtfulness then. Having finally filled her stomach, Ami continued to meander her way through the forest. She was so far away from Home Tree that it would be no use to go back now. Besides, other than memories, what was really left for her there? There was no food, no hope, and none of the People. She could only move forward. _Where should I go now?_ There was so many places to choose from. She could go to another clan; they might take her in. She could go and live off on her own. Or, she could go to one of the sacred trees. They were direct lines to ancestors and Eywa herself. Ami decided to go to a sacred tree. She wanted to go consult Eywa and those that came before her. Their wisdom could help her down the right path. With her decision made, Ami looked for signs of a close by sacred tree.

 _"There were always distinct signs if a sacred tree is nearby. You just have to look in the right place."_ The words of her past teachers flow through Ami's mind as she scans the forest floor around her. She knew that there would usually be atorkirina floating around after dark. That would be a long wait though. Ami decided to try to find a source of water. She could use a drink, and there were other signs through animal tracks. She couldn't see any tracks though. A source of water would have tracks nearby it. They always have tracks. Using her sensitive ears, Ami listened for signs of running water. Off to her left, she could hear the faint sound of dripping water. There were many flowers that retained cups full of water for days after a large rainfall. The last big one was five days ago. If she's lucky, there may be some water left, and hopefully some animal tracks.

* * *

Ami traveled for fifteen minutes before she reached the water-retaining flowers. They were under the shade of gigantic trees similar to Home Tree. The soil beneath Ami's feet was still cool and a little damp. More importantly, there were tracks of multiple animals from every direction, and to every direction but one. This was the way to tell the path to a sacred tree. The animals avoided these clearings because there wasn't much cover or food. These reasons keep the area pristine and safe for those searching for the guidance of Eywa. Keeping her eyes on the tracks, Ami traveled towards the northwest, the direction of the sacred tree. A happy and confident smile grew on her face once she finally knew where to go. Ami strode with light steps that made almost no sound, just as her teachers had taught her. The soft and constant glow of the moss beneath her feet was the only indication that she had went that way. The animals made soft cries and other sounds that became one with the night. She bent and flowed over and around the plants that barred her path. The noises grew softer and more distant, another indication that she was growing closer to the sacred tree. By the time a large green clearing came into her view, the forest was almost silent except for the swaying of branches and other plants. There in the center of the clearing, was the large tree with its flowing pink branches. A sense of calm washed over Ami and her pace slowed down to a crawl. Her face was full of serenity as she trailed her hands through the branches and grabbed a handful. She brought her braid over her shoulder and made tsahalu. Voices of all different ages and lives filled her head. It was the voices of Ami's ancestors, of the people's ancestors that lived within Eywa. They whispered to her their stories and gave her all their wisdom. This was Eywa's guidance. Ami now knew what she had to do. The guidance from Eywa told her that she needed to get well and healthy before finding the people. There was a battle against the sky people coming, and she would be needed as healthy as possible. Since the clearings where the sacred trees lay were so safe, Ami knew that she could sleep safely before venturing out into the forest again. A new sense of determination filled her. She wanted to live. She wanted to serve the people. She wanted to be worthy of gaining her own ikran. Ami fell asleep feeling more at peace than she had since Home Tree fell.


	4. Chapter 4-The Reunion

Chapter 4- The Reunion

The next morning, Ami woke up feeling refreshed and full of purpose. She knew what she had to do, and she knew that her skills that she learned from the clan healers would be helpful once she found the people. Even if they didn't allow her to fight, she could heal the wounded. But before she found the people, Ami had to get healthy. With her hunting knife in hand, she foraged for fruits and found an old dying animal. She ended its suffering, and cooked it that night. She rationalized her kill, telling herself that it wasn't hunting, but doing Eywa's will. Ami had to pace herself so she didn't eat too much. It had been a long while since she had such a filling meal, especially with meat. During her travels toward the sacred tree, she had found some tubers that kept good for many days. The fiber-filled starch they provided helped to keep her full all day long. Now that Ami finally had a goal to work towards, she was making progress. Ami tried to go foraging at least every other day to make sure she had plenty of food. Taking too much at once could damage the plant or cause excess food to spoil. Spoiled food was wasted life. When she wasn't foraging or hunting for food, Ami now had the energy to continue training herself. Using what her teachers had taught her she exercised and practiced her skills every day so that she would be ready for the battle to come. Ami even tried to note where healing and poisonous plants were for healing wounds or hurting enemies. After a week and three days of preparing and hunting, Ami spent her last night alone. In the early morning, she would gather the last of the plants she needed before heading out to find the people. With battle on the horizon, she knew that they would not be hidden from her by Eywa. Eywa tested her by not allowing any of the people to cross her path. Ami needed to know her own strength. After years of teasing from her fellow clan-mates and failures with a bow, she needed to prove to herself that she could be a help to the people, not a burden. On Pandora, if one was a burden for too long, they would live a short life. Their life would go to a predator or to Home Tree's roots. Ami know knew that she wasn't a burden. She could take care of herself and use what was taught to her. When the morning came, these thoughts along with a sense of pride filled her as she filled her last leaf pouch with herbs and other healing plants. She was now ready for her journey to find the people. Leaving the clearing where the sacred tree was, she found the forest in chaos. After a few miles, signs of battle were apparent. Healthy green leaves were strewn across the ground, there were distant roars and shrieks of fierce predators and the toughest herbivores on Pandora, and ikran cries of pain were close. With no time to adjust to the shock of her surroundings, Ami headed towards the cries of pain. The heat of flames blew across her face with the wind. She pulled back in fear, and felt hot ash coat her hair. Pushing past the fear, Ami held onto her leaf pouches tighter and moved forward. A beautiful mountain ikran came into view soon after. She lowered her head to not look in his eyes, and spied a injured Na'vi near the ikran's talons. Approaching carefully, she spoke to it soothingly.

"Hey it's okay. I can help him. If you allow me to approach him, I can heal him. I promise I will not allow harm to come to him." She spoke to the male Na'vi's ikran soft and soothingly, but they were very intelligent. If she acted or spoke derogatory, it would attack her. Waiting to see how it reacted, Ami glanced back and forth between the iran and it's rider. The Na'vi had multiple bullet wounds in his torso, and they were bleeding. She didn't have much time; he would bleed out soon. The ikran lowered its head to grant her permission after what felt like an eternity. She rushed forward and put her ear to his mouth. He was still breathing. Shaking him got no response, so she started his care right away. Taking out leaves that would stop the bleeding, she chewed them and applied them to the wounds. Covering and protecting them with leaves, she then turned him onto his back. There were exit wounds too. That was actually a relief. That meant that she didn't have to go digging around for the strange metal objects when she needed to plug the wounds shut. Applying chewed leaves that would stop the bleeding and accelerate healing, she bandaged him up with a prayer to Eywa. After she accomplished that, she felt that she would be able to move him. It took minutes she didn't have to convince the ikran to lead the way to the people. It had to awkwardly scuttle and hop across the forest floor. Ami made a makeshift stretcher and slowly dragged him after the ikran. After what felt like hours, she reached _Vitraya Ramunong_. Of course! That was the only place the Na'vi could have gone in their time of need. She slowly got closer and closer to the gigantic tree. Soon she found signs of other Na'vi. A sharp cry got her attention towards the Na'vi running towards her.

"I see you" the female Na'vi said. "Let me take him. I'm the best healer from the horse clans."

"I see you. Thank you he has many sky people weapon wounds. Grace called them bullet wounds when she taught us English." Ami was so relieved that the male Na'vi would get better medical attention that what she could give him. She glanced at his face as the female healer took the make-shift stretcher. The familiarity she had felt when treating him finally clicked. _That was Tsu'tey!_ He was the head warrior of the clan and was next in line for leading the clan. He was handsome too. Ami was glad that she could help him, and wondered if they would ever meet each other again. She shook her head to ward off her thoughts. She shouldn't even be thinking about him. He was an important clan member and she was just a lowly member who couldn't even earn herself an ikran. _I did save his life though. Maybe..._ Stop it! she told herself. She shook her head and turned around before stopping. She didn't know where to go now. Should she help the healers here? Or should she go and fight? A voice whispered in her head, _Maybe you should just leave. You were doing fine on your own. I doubt that many would miss you._ Ami shook off these thoughts. They weren't true. They couldn't be. Besides, she was trained by the healers. Ami was sure that they would need all the help they could get to heal wounded warriors. She scanned the clearing looking for someone she could talk to. Under the Vitraya Ramunong, Ami spotted Mo'at looking at the sky fearfully. The heavy sound of sky-people metal-beasts fringed on the edge of her delicate hearing. Following Mo'at's gaze, she could not spot them yet. All she saw where the people of many various tribes flying towards and away from the fight. Ami picked her way to the base of the tree, and kneeled before Tsahik.

"I see you, Tsahik," said Ami with an almost reverent tone. Mo'at spun around and spotted the kneeling girl. A look of gratefulness appeared on her face at seeing a member of her tribe returned to her. So few had made it; all that did not make the journey with them were presumed dead.

"Ami," she breathed. "You have returned to us! Come child, we have need of your skills. Some of the children have injuries, but I have so few healers to spare. Can I entrust you with their care?"

"Yes, Tsahik. I will look after them with the best of my abilities." Ami was grateful to be needed, and truthfully, did not think she would be much help treating dying warriors. She did not truly belong with the healers because she was still trying to gain her ikran. Ami walked away from Mo'at after being given her task. She spotted the small bodies in the cradle of some tree roots. Many were crying from fear and shock, but she saw little blood. She walked louder as she approached so the children would hear her coming.

"Ami!" cried a little voice, "You made it!" A little girl as high as Ami's waist ran up and hugged her thighs. Her enlightened face made the world a little better. It was Naila, one of the healer's daughters.

"Mama said that I just had to be patient and pray, and you made it!" Naila continued to chatter excitedly as she seemed oblivious to the danger around her. Ami hoped that her bright spirit would never fade. This cheery attitude could help the other young ones.

"Naila," Ami spoke softly. "I have a very important task for you. I need you to help me keep the little ones calm as I give them a check-up. Just like your mom. You can do that for me, right?"

Naila enthusiastically jumped up and down as she nodded her approval. Ami sighed with relief. One thing was going well. _Hopefully everything else goes well_ , she thought, _I'm not sure if the Omaticaya can take another blow and not stumble and fall._


End file.
